Today, Ho Chi Minh City contributes over 20% of the national GDP. It proposes and implements groundbreaking institutional reforms, from renovating administrative procedures and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to piloting special mechanisms.
Ho Chi Minh City have been investing much in infrastructure. (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – Fifty years have passed, but for Pham Chanh Truc, former Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Miওnh City Party Committee, the early days after liberation remain vivid, filled with both joy and concern.
"At that time, Saigon was in chaos: hunger, unemployment, and crime were rampant. Some families had nothing to eat. Our soldiers had to break into enemy rice stores to feed the people. In this dire situation, the city’s determination to overcome difficulties began with organising youth volunteers to assist the residents," Truc recalled.
The city mobilised 10,000 youths to help restore local production, with then Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vo Van Kiet directing the entire system to support the youth union. This collective effort from leaders and citizens enabled the city to navigate that challenging period, laying the groundwork for subsequent development.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Xuan Bien, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, emphasised the city's crucial role in national development. Reflecting on history, he noted that Ho Chi Minh City faced many challenges but also achieved significant accomplishments. After the country’s reunification in 1975, the city confronted high inflation, economic stagnation, and a struggling populace, causing many to leave.
"However, under the wise leadership of the local Party organisation and administration, HCM City focused on stabilising lives, restoring production, and gradually improving the situation. These efforts helped the city overcome its hardships, maintain socio-political stability, and create a foundation for economic development," Bien said.
In 2005, the city was awarded the title "Hero City," reaffirming its vital position in the nation’s construction and defence. As it enters a new development phase, the city continues to uphold its revolutionary tradition and dynamism, striving to be a growth engine for the entire country. It is also advancing digital transformation and green economic development, creating new drivers for sustainable progress.
Strong transformation
Dr. Tran Du Lich, who had worked closely with the city during its reform phases, highlighted Ho Chi Minh City as a pioneer in institutional and economic reform. It was the first to address institutional bottlenecks and innovate, laying the groundwork for national reform policies. The city was also the first to implement a managed market economy, serving as a model for the entire country.
"Today, Ho Chi Minh City contributes over 20% of the national GDP. It proposes and implements groundbreaking institutional reforms, from renovating administrative procedures and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to piloting special mechanisms. The city is not only an economic locomotive but also a source of new development ideas, especially in implementing Resolution 98 on distinct mechanisms," Lich said.
A festival is held in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)
According to him, the city stands on the verge of golden opportunity. By 2025, it aims for double-digit growth and strives to become a global city. Therefore, it is actively pursuing dual transformations - digital and green. The city’s vigorous initiatives have attracted many overseas Vietnamese, encouraging them to return and invest in their homeland.
From the leadership's perspective, Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, stated that 50 years ago, under the Party's leadership, the people of Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh joined soldiers and people nationwide to make the Great Spring Victory, liberating the South and unifying the country. Since then, the city has continuously strived to overcome challenges, stabilise, and develop, becoming a major centre for economy, finance, trade, culture, science, technology, innovation, and education in the southern key economic region and the nation.
Moreover, the city serves as a crucial gateway to the region and the world, contributing significantly to the nation’s achievements and affirming its unique role in building and protecting the country. With a commitment to digital transformation and sustainable development, Ho Chi Minh City aims for a future where it not only leads economically but also stands as a global city, deserving of the trust and expectations of the entire nation.
Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh city Institute for Development Studies, asserted that over the past 50 years, the city has reaffirmed its vital role in the nation’s reform and development journey. Notably, it has made significant contributions, such as establishing concentrated economic zones, industrial parks, and high-tech zones.
Currently, it is pioneering sustainable urban development models. With a dynamic and innovative spirit, the city continues to develop a socialist-oriented market economy, supporting businesses and fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. It is also focusing on effectively attracting foreign investment, improving the business environment, and securing large-scale FDI projects.
"Ho Chi Minh City prioritises spearhead areas such as tourism, digital transformation, and green growth, creating sustainable growth drivers. Notably, the city has achieved impressive results in socioeconomic development, meeting targets for sustainable poverty reduction and improving residents' quality of life," An noted./.
The victory on April 30, 1975, which stands as a heroic anthem of Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and President Ho Chi Minh, marked not only a triumph over the world’s most powerful force at the time but also a shining milestone in the global fight against imperialism.
Throughout the exchange in Ho Chi Minh City on April 27, the reporters, despite having ever come from the two opposing sides, shared a common story about their love for the country and the people of Vietnam.
The national commemoration ceremony will take place at 6:30 am on April 30, along Le Duan Street, District 1, and other streets in the central districts of the city.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the agency’s centre for digital contents and communications (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Running until June 21, the festival brings together more than 80 central and local media organisations, featuring nearly 130 exhibition booths that cover the full spectrum of national life, encompassing economy, politics, culture, society, defence, security, and foreign affairs.
As of June 17, Ca Mau province had achieved its target of supporting the construction and renovation of 4,400 homes, with a total budget of over 235 billion VND (about 9 million USD).
